What techniques do you use to promote your non-fiction self-help books? Do you build a brand by coaching or consulting based on the teachings of your books? How do you use your coaching sessions to promote your books and vice versa? Have you used any out-of-the-box ideas that have worked for you?
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For my book, 'Curtis Turner Racing Stats', I am selling it on my website, CurtisTurnerMuseum.com and on amazon.com, and at the racing events I go to as an invited guest for book signings and autograph signage sessions. I also promote thru facebook with Curtis Turner Museum on facebook, and a facebook page, Curtis Turner Racing Legend. I started the group before I realized that you can't 'share' it like you can a page. I don't sell thru facebook, but the networking is great and has definitely led people to my CurtisTurnerMuseum.com website. I have been so grateful that I ever started that website as so many people have gotten in touch with me and have stories about my Dad in the early days of racing! I have also garnered some stories from Facebook people as well! Old family friends have resurfaced from the past-and yes then they buy the book too! I very much love the stories and the connections thru my memories and the memories of those who knew him or even raced with him!
That's wonderful, Margaret. I know how valuable such memories are - my dad crossed over to the other side almost 4 years ago. It's so great to honour your dad in that way, and it's very healing too for you and all his loved ones, isn't it...
Yes it is healing for me to honor my Dad this way Haseena. Thru the memories I connect with those very familiar vibrations and keep the memory alive as well as my Dad alive in my heart. I'm very sorry for your loss too, even thou it has been 4 years, we never stop missing our loved ones because we never stopped loving them just because they are not as seeable, communicable and physical as they once were. All the very best in life to you Haseena!
Thank you, Margaret. Wishing you the best too, and may your book bring you unlimited success =).
We should never forget the old fashioned technique of getting the right people to read and like it, so that they will tell others until everyone in the world want to buy it. Jeff
Hear, hear. And you never know who those "right people" are going to be and how they're going to find out about it so you just have to keep following your guidance--what feels juicy--when it comes to what to do and where and with whom!
I think it's got to be a holistic process and you can't really separate it from who you are--you kind of have to live book promotion (not in the sense that you're obnoxious about it but it just becomes such a part of who you are, you do it naturally).
Connections are continually being made in ways you can see and in ways you can't. Aunt Edna, so proud her niece is an author, may invite you to her social club meeting to speak when your book has nothing to do with anything you can imagine her friends being interested in. Your left brain may tell you it's a waste of time but something in you is urging you to go. Maybe one of Aunt Edna's gal pals has connections somewhere that will benefit you and she gets excited about you because you gave a fascinating talk...you know--that kind of thing!
Here's an affirmation I like to use that covers all the bases:
"At this very moment, in both the seen and unseen realms, all the necessary connections are being made to get (your book title) into the hands of the millions who will benefit from it."
Thank you so much for sharing that affirmation, Julia! I love it!! And I also love the way you say that one has to "live book promotion" - I agree. It's as much about you, the person, as it is about your book. When one thinks about it, it would seem impossible to separate who you are from what you write (non-fiction) because if you do then your writing won't have come from an authentic place.
As an author, I definitely believe in that, Jeff. As a literary agent/author who shares my opinion, you really boost my confidence that this can work!
Hi Haseena,
Personally I think non-fiction is much easier to promote than fiction. I would look for editors at magazines and newspapers and producers of radio shows that focus on the topic of the book, and pitch the author as an expert. The headline would be about the fascinating subject matter, but the pitch would focus as much on the author as engaging and informative.
Personally, I'm not wild about the consulting, coaching, and e-books techniques because they seem very focused on making money, rather than sharing information, and I've seen so many rushed e-books, webinars and list-serves that offered very little info and were 90% sales pitch.
For business books, and related categories like marketing, this seems to work OK because in that field no one minds if you're in it for money. But if the book is, say, a relationship or how-to book, I think traditional publicity and social media are better channels for promotions.
Thanks for sharing, Karma - I'm also going the radio show/magazine/newspaper route. Although, we do have coaching in the form of a leadership program for girls, but this is more a function of our movement than our book. And social media makes a huge difference!
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